1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the control of automatic doors and, more specifically, to security-type doors including fire doors and systems utilized in the control of such doors.
2. State of the Art
Automatic doors are implemented in various configurations such as, for example, sliding doors, rotating panel doors, folding doors, and revolving doors. Automatic doors are often relied on for security and fire safety purposes. For example, referring to FIG. 1, an automatic door system 100 including one or more accordion-type doors 102A and 102B may be used as a security and/or a fire door. The doors 102A and 102B shown are formed with a plurality of panels 104 which are connected to one another with hinge-like members 106. The hinged connection of the panels 104 allows the doors 102A and 102B to be compactly stored in pockets 108 formed in the walls 110 of a building when in a retracted or folded state. When the doors are required to secure an area, such as an elevator lobby 112 during a fire, the doors 102A and 102B are driven by a motor (not shown) along a track 114 in order to provide an appropriate barrier.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, two doors 102A and 102B may be utilized wherein each extends from its associated pocket 108 to cooperatively mate with one another. Referring to FIG. 2, a cross-sectional view is shown of two doors 102A and 102B (shown in a folded state and recessed in pockets 108) also referred to as a bi-part configuration. The first door 102A includes a male lead post 116 which is configured to cooperatively mate with the female lead post 118 of the second door 102B when each door is properly extended.
Alternatively, the automatic door system 100 may comprise a single door which mates with a stationary structure to form a barrier. As shown in FIG. 3, a single door 102A may include a male lead post 116 which is configured to mate with a female door post 118xe2x80x2 formed in a wall 110.
As can also be seen in FIG. 3, an accordion-type door 102A may include a first accordion-style partition 119A and a second accordion-style partition 119B which is laterally spaced from and substantially parallel with the first partition 119A. Each of the two partitions 119A and 19B has a first end 120 structurally fixed to a floating jamb 121 which is movable within the pocket 108 and a second end 122 which is attached to the lead post 116. Such a configuration is often utilized as a fire door wherein one partition 119A acts as a primary fire and smoke barrier, the space 124 between the two partitions 119A and 119B acts as an insulator or a buffer zone, and the second partition 119B acts as a secondary fire and smoke barrier.
The automatic door system 100 may further include various sensors and switches to assist in the control of the doors 102A and 102B. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, either of the doors 102A and 102B (or possibly both), when used as a fire door, may include a switch or actuator 126 commonly referred to as xe2x80x9cpanic hardware.xe2x80x9d Actuation of the panic hardware 126 allows a person located on one side of the doors 102A and 102B to cause the door(s) to open if they are closed, or to stop while they are closing, allowing access through the barrier formed by the door(s) for a predetermined amount of time.
The switches, sensors or other actuators associated with the doors 102A and 102B are typically electrically configured to operate as a normally-open circuit or a normally-closed circuit. Thus, for example, the panic hardware 126 may include a normally-open-type switch which, when actuated, closes to form a circuit, thereby causing the door motor to behave in a predetermined manner. Similarly, a switch or sensor may be formed as a closed circuit which, upon actuation, opens the circuit, indicating that a certain event has happened and thereby invoking a response by the door motor. Conventionally, each circuit is dedicated, or specifically associated with a given sensor switch or actuator. These circuits are typically formed using multiple conductors which are connected, at one end, to respective switches, sensors and actuators, which are located at various positions on the doors 102A and 102B, and to the drive controller at their opposing ends. The conductors are conventionally configured to extend substantially the length of the door and are located between the partitions 119A and 119B. For example, FIG. 3 shows a cable 128 located in the space 124 between the partitions 119A and 119B. Such a cable 128 is conventionally configured to carry multiple conductors for connection with various switches and sensors.
The use of conductors to form circuits between a controller and various switches and sensors, while functionally adequate in certain environments, may cause the door to malfunction in various situations. For example, in fire doors, the insulation formed about the cables and conductors may melt when subjected to elevated temperatures, causing the conductors to short. When shorting occurs among one or more of the conductors, a change in a given circuit may occur. For example, the shorting of a given conductor may be seen by the door motor as the closing or opening of a circuit associated with that conductor. Thus, the door motor, responding to what it perceives as a change in a given circuit, causes the door to open or perform some other function when, in fact, the door should have continued in its previous state of operation.
The possibility of an automatic door malfunctioning in the above-described manner may result in the door failing to pass stringent codes or specifications for a given installation. More importantly, when such a malfunction occurs in a fire door, it may allow the spread of a fire, essentially obviating the presence of the fire door.
In view of the shortcomings in the art, it would be advantageous to provide an automatic door and a method of operating such a door which prevents the potential malfunction of the door in certain environments such as exposure to elevated temperatures. It would further be advantageous to be able to retrofit existing doors through simple modifications so as to also prevent such potential malfunctions.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, an automatic door is provided. The automatic door includes a first partition and a second partition, each being defined to include a first end and a second end. The second partition is laterally positioned from the first partition, forming a space therebetween. A leading edge is coupled with the first end of each partition. A first processor is disposed between the two partitions at a location proximate the leading edge of the door. A second processor is remotely located from the first processor, such as, for example, proximate the second ends of the partitions. A bus, configured to transmit digital signals, is coupled between the first and second processors. The second processor is coupled with a drive which is configured to control the position of the door""s leading edge.
The automatic door may further include one or more input devices such as, for example, sensors, switches, actuators, as well as output devices such as actuators and audible and/or visual indicators associated with the operation of the door. Such input and output devices may be coupled with the first processor, which is configured to communicate their status to the second processor for control of the drive. For example, a sensor may be used to detect an obstruction in the path of the door. Upon sensing such an obstruction, the sensor may communicate with the first processor, which then sends a digital signal to the second processor indicative of the sensor""s communication. The second processor may then send an operating signal to the drive to behave in a specified manner based on the sensor""s communication.
The automatic door includes various configurations. One example includes a folding accordion-style door which is configured as a fire door. Such a door may include multiple panels coupled in a hinge-like manner and configured to extend and retract along a specified path.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a method is provided for operating an automatic door. The method includes disposing a first processor adjacent a leading edge of a door such that the processor is moveable therewith upon the opening and closing of the door. A second processor is remotely located from the first processor and may be, for example, proximate an opposing end of the door. The first processor and second processor are coupled with one another by way of a digital bus. A signal is transmitted from the second processor to the first processor. Upon failure to acknowledge receipt of the signal by the first processor, the second processor causes the leading edge of the door to move to a predetermined position.
The method may further include providing input devices, such as, for example, switches or sensors, and transmitting signals from the input devices to the first processor, the signals being indicative of the status of the switches or sensors. The status of such input devices may then be transmitted from the first processor to the second processor for appropriate control of the drive.
The method may also include ignoring additional perceived data transmitted through the digital bus after the first processor has failed to acknowledge the receipt of the signal transmitted from the second processor. By ignoring additional perceived data, the second processor will not erroneously respond to false data transmitted over the bus due to the failure thereof.